Beef and Guinness Stew
Tender beef braised slowly in rich Irish stout with sweet root vegetables and savoury herbs. A comforting, warming classic with a deep, glossy gravy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 135 min
- Total
- 155 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •casserole dish with lid
- •sharp kitchen knife
- •wooden spoon
- •chopping board
- •measuring jug
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 46 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Toss the beef pieces in plain flour with a pinch of salt and black pepper until lightly coated.
- 2
Heat half the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat on the hob.
- 3
Brown the beef in uncrowded batches until a deep brown crust forms, then transfer to a plate.
- 4
Add the remaining oil to the dish and fry the onions, carrots, and parsnip for 5 minutes until lightly softened.
- 5
Stir in the sliced garlic and tomato puree, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 6
Pour in the Guinness stout, scraping up all the caramelised browned bits from the bottom of the dish.
- 7
Return the browned beef and any resting juices back into the casserole dish.
- 8
Add the beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves, then bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
- 9
Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer gently for 2 hours until the beef is tender.
- 10
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the rich gravy has slightly thickened.
Chef's tips
Brown the beef in small batches so it sears rather than steams. The stew tastes even richer and more rounded when made a day in advance and gently reheated.
Ingredient substitutions
- Guinness stout → any dark Irish stout, rich dark ale, or equal volume of beef stock
- parsnip → swede or an extra carrot
Storage
Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat on the hob, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the stew rapidly, which makes the beef tough and stringy instead of meltingly tender.
- •Overcrowding the casserole dish when browning the meat, resulting in grey steamed beef without depth.
- •Skipping the scraping of the bottom of the dish, leaving essential savoury flavours behind.
Serving suggestions
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